Meet the Instructors

Chelsea Moore, Co-Founder, Chief Everything OfficerChelsea has been rowing since 2005 and coaching since 2009. She rowed at the University of Oklahoma on the inaugural varsity team. She was a two-time Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) National Scholar-Athlete, selected as CRCA All-Region, second team and Conference USA Rowing All-Conference Team. Her coaching experience ranges from coaching a collegiate Division 1 team at the University of Oklahoma to coaching high school and masters rowers at the Austin Rowing Club. The varied levels of on-the-water coaching, in addition to indoor rowing specific coaching inspired her to take the leap and start Rō in early 2014 to bring the indoor rowing workout to rowers and non-rowers alike!

Her classes: Great for beginners and veterans alike, but be ready to put in the work.

Ben Cooper, InstructorBen started rowing with Austin Rowing Club in the summer of 2012 on the Men's Competitive Rowing team. He's an all-around fitness enthusiast. He stays fit through running, rowing (on and off the water), weightlifting and yoga. He has been coaching at Rō first opened its doors in early 2014. Also known as "Ben Cool-per" according to our favorite class review....

His classes: Competitive vibe; great for beginners and veterans looking for a challenge and who love electronic music!

Sarah Dougherty, InstructorSarah started rowing in 2012 at the University of Washington. She was a recruited walk-on from the sport of swimming, and proceeded to pursue rowing after college at the national level. Sarah was a four-time varsity athlete and two-time all American athlete while at Washington. She has four U23 world championships gold medals, won silver at the 2017 World Cup in Poland, and stroked the US Women’s 8+ at the World Championships in 2017.

She has recently retired from competing and has turned to coaching! Sarah’s passionate about nutrition, and loves to guide others towards living their happiest and healthiest lives. Being a Seattle native, she loves hiking, biking, camping and all things outdoors. She also loves big fluffy dogs and hopes to have her own very soon.

Her Classes: Bring your best spirit, a willingness to learn, and a big smile to class and you’ll have a great time!

Laura Griffith, InstructorOriginally from Michigan, Laura started rowing as a freshman in high school back in 2001. She rowed all throughout high school and continued to row on the varsity team with Eastern Michigan University. Throughout college she was coaching the men's high school rowing program for the Wyandotte Boat Club, as well as helping her old high school team. After college, Laura continued her health and fitness journey with Kickboxing, and CrossFit. Her favorite thing about rowing is being a member of an amazing crew of people who come together, and work hard to accomplish the same goal.

Her classes: Focused on teamwork and accountability!

Katie Kidder, InstructorOriginally a lifelong competitive swimmer, Katie transitioned to rowing in 2012. She rowed for four years at UCLA, and continued athletics in all forms after graduating in 2016. She has spent the following years doing everything from running to cycling and yoga, and when she moved to Austin in 2019, she reunited with rowing after finding Rō.

​Her favorite thing about rowing is the technicality required, combined with the endless potential to achieve something new, every day. She is excited to help others stay fit and keep crushing their goals!

Her classes: Top 40 playlists and a focus on doing your best -- but also having some fun through tough workouts!

Laura Lea Larsen-Strecker, InstructorLaura started rowing in 2001 in Boston for her high school and spent many years as a competitive rower before transitioning into coaching. In college, she rowed for Radcliffe and was a co-captain her senior year. After college she rowed for the USA U-23 team and won U23 World Championships in the the W8+ in 2008. She trained with the US National team in Princeton, NJ for three years from 2009-2011, including competing as a member of the 2009 World Champion W8+.

She has coached rowing athletes from high school novice level to Division 1 collegiate athletes -- including coaching at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Newton Country Day School, and Mount Holyoke College. Currently, she is the graduate assistant coach at UT Austin. Laura loves coaching athletes on the water and is excited to bring her passion for the sport at large to this community of indoor rowing enthusiasts!

Her classes: Come ready to work hard and challenge yourself! Let's erg!

Brittany Shulman, Instructor​After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, Brittany fell in love with fitness. An avid runner, she found her way to indoor rowing in 2016, and has been absolutely hooked ever since. Her rowing addiction even took her to the water -- she completed the Learn to Row course at Austin Rowing Club to further her coaching to all levels in class! Rō has been integral in Brittany’s fitness journey – the interval training paired with her technical focus helped her lose weight, build muscle, and gain confidence. Every time you sit down on an erg, you have a new challenge ahead of you and she’s excited to help others understand their potential and accomplish their goals!

In her spare time, you’ll find Brittany running races, trying new workout classes, or impulsively booking trips to new cities.

Her classes: A focus in on setting goals and how to get the most out of every workout!

Wladi Montoya, InstructorWladi's passion for coaching started 22 years ago as a young swimmer. "I remember sitting next to my coach and asking him every possible question. I wanted to know about technique, split times, and any way I could be better. Looking back, I realize I was interested in swimming itself, and even more interested in my coach because I could see his greatness. I wanted to be just like him."

He spent 14 years swimming, reaching a collegiate competitive level. After, he spent another 9 years competing in CrossFit, reaching a regional competitive level. He began coaching Crossfit in 2011, is currently a Level 2 Crossfit coach and has a multitude of Crossfit certifications, including powerlifting and goal setting. In competing and coaching, he discovered the addictive nature of rowing and followed the passion to Rō Fitness.

His classes: Energetic, enthusiastic, and technical. Wladi's true passion is in human connection and creating space for those around him to see greatness in themselves. "I can’t wait for you to try one of my classes...BOOM!"

Samantha Tucker, InstructorSamantha swam at the University of Texas at Austin from 2010-2014 where she was a a five-time All American and four-time Big XII Champion. She competed on the national and international stage throughout her career, and happily retired from the sport in 2014 after her last National Championship competition.

​She found a love of rowing at Rō Fitness and quickly became addicted to the rhythmic nature, athleticism, technique-focused, HIIT format of the classes offered. She earned two degrees in the Health Education domains, completing both her bachelors and masters at UT Austin. With almost a decade of experience in teaching group fitness in Austin, she loves a new challenge to share her passion and knowledge of health and wellness with others to help them achieve their goals!

Her classes: Upbeat music to get you going! Working hard and having an enjoyable experience is the only option! :D​